1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with improved fisherman waders designed to be worn by a fisherman desiring to stand or walk in water during fishing. More particularly, the invention pertains to a composite wader adapted to be worn over the legs and trunk of a person and which includes an upper breathable section and a lower non-breathable section covering a substantial proportion of the wearer's legs between a mid-thigh region and the wearer's ankles. The composite wader thereby maximizes comfort to the user consistent with wear and tear resistance.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional waders for fishermen are in the form of relatively loosely worn garments which cover the legs and trunk of a user. Waders have been produced in both boot foot and stocking foot designs (i.e., boot foot designs extend only to the ankles of the users and are connected to wading boots, whereas stocking foot designs have integral foot covers) and from a variety of materials. Traditionally, waders have been fabricated using neoprene fabrics or rubber coated canvas or nylon. These waders are very rugged and exhibit very significant wear and puncture resistance. However, neoprene and similar waders are deficient in that the fabric used is non-breathable, meaning that the fabric tends to entrap heat and moisture (perspiration). Thus, after a relatively short time, the wearer of these waders often becomes very hot and uncomfortable.
In more recent years, waders made of breathable fabrics such as Gore-Tex have been available. Breathable fabrics are designed to be permeable to water vapor but do not allow water in liquid form to pass through. Breathability in fabrics can be accomplished in several ways. Microporous polyurethane coatings can be applied to a fabric or as a separate laminate sheet material to form a breathable composite, or a breathable coating (e.g., polyurethane) may be squeegeed over a fabric surface. While breathable waders have ameliorated the comfort problems associated with conventional neoprene or other type non-breathable waders, they are deficient in terms of durability. That is, the breathable fabric is more susceptible to tears and punctures, which is a common hazard for fishermen wading across rocky stream beds and the like. Accordingly, many fishermen, while acknowledging the comfort characteristics of breathable waders, refuse to purchase breathables because of their lack of durability. Further, the cost of breathable waders is substantially greater than that of non-breathable designs, which also detracts from the attractiveness of the breathables.
There is accordingly a need in the art for an improved wader which accommodates the desires of users to have the durability and cost advantages of old style non-breathables, while at the same time incorporating the comfort features of breathable waders.